Fluorine Containing Solids: Synthesis, Bonding and Electrochemical Properties

The desire to improve the energy density of lithium ion batteries requires the search for a different class of material. One such material class under investigation is fluorides. Transition metal fluoride bonds are highly ionic, providing higher redox potentials than their analogous oxide counterparts. Fundamentally understanding the synthetic, structural, and bonding provides insight into properties, requirements and, limitations electrochemically. This work describes synthesis of colloidal complex fluoride nanocrystals, as well as solid state synthesis of novel polymorphs. Electrochemical properties are assessed, as well as probing of the fundamental bonding properties during electrochemical processes.